The Cleveland Guardians are parting ways with one of their core players in a cost-cutting move.
The Guardians traded first baseman Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday. Cleveland received pitcher Slade Cecconi and a competitive balance draft pick in return.
Full trade, per ESPN sources:
Arizona acquires: 1B Josh Naylor
Cleveland acquires: RHP Slade Cecconi and a competitive balance Round B draft pick
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 21, 2024
This is something of a salary dump from Cleveland’s standpoint. Naylor’s name has come up consistently in trade rumors since the end of the season, as he is heading for the final year of salary arbitration and could make as much as $12 million next season. His value on the open market is likely to be more than the Guardians are willing to pay to keep him long-term, so they are simply getting something for him now while they still can.
Naylor should fit nicely into the Arizona lineup. While he hit only .243 last season, his 31 home runs and 108 RBIs were both career highs. Those are solid numbers to put into a lineup, especially since the Diamondbacks did not have to part with much to land them.
